Hives Again - And Another Thing!

I had a pretty busy day at work today - ran from here to there most of the day and didn't get to actually sit at my desk very long. As a result, my foot is really hurting. I saw my podiatrist this morning before going in to work and completed the paperwork to apply for the shockwave treatment I had previously on my other foot. So hopefully the insurance company will approve it and I can get it scheduled before too long. No, I'm not enthusiastic about the prospect of having surgery, but I know it will help and can't deal with hurting all the time any more.

Anyway, I made it through most of the day but THEN broke out in hives again - both hands, front and back. And my feet feel rather itchy too so I suspect I've got them there too. I'm smearing on hydrocortisone cream and will take a Benedryl and head to bed shortly.

But I had a strange phone call tonight - from James, a fellow I had dated several years ago. I hadn't talked to him for about 2 years, and I'm not quite sure why he called. He's been seeing a woman for a couple of years but said something about it being stale, not going anywhere. I hate that for him BUT don't want (or plan) to get involved with him until/unless he's ended that relationship - and then I'm not sure I want to anyway. I enjoyed his company very much BUT I don't think there's much future there. The last time I talked to him, a couple years ago, he suggested that I would get along REALLY well with his girlfriend - silly me didn't get what he was suggesting at first. But I'm certainly NOT interested in going that route! So I doubt very much I would see him any more. But it was nice chatting and catching up.

I started working on my income taxes this evening - I'm really hoping for a big refund. Right now it's calcuclating a $7 refund - wa hoo! But I am not anywhere near being done so that should change significantly - I've barely started on deductions.

Off to bed for me, it's really cold and yucky outside so I'm going to wrap up in my down blanket and crash. And hopefully quit scratching!

Puzzles

I braved the potentially-icy roads to go to church this morning - and it wasn't all that bad. It's cold but the sun is shining, and life goes on. We got maybe an inch of snow at most, just enough to be pretty on the trees and bushes. While I would have loved to stay home in bed, I got dressed and hauled myself out into the world to church, and the gym after that.

Everyone was given a piece of a jigsaw puzzle when they entered the sanctuary this morning, and Pastor Charlie's message was called "where do I fit?" I found the sermon interesting, more so than usual, but it also brought something to mind, and I wanted to write about it.

When I lived in Pittburgh, I had a dear friend named Mary Lou, who was also a pseudo-mom to me. Mary Lou had 5 grown children, and the oldest was the same age as as me. She often shared stories and bits of wisdom from her mothering experiences, and this is one of those. Mary Lou told me that whenever she sensed there was something going on with one of her kids - a problem or some struggle, and they weren't talking about it - she got out a jigsaw puzzle and got it started on a table in their family room. She said it was amazing the conversations that would take place over that puzzle - including some discussion of that problem. I've never forgotten that advice - and used the idea a couple of times with my own kids too.